I have an interesting Commute today

[RESTONTODC]

Most of my commutes are relax and boring on WOD and Curtis trails. This morning, I was biking on the right of 2000 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington, in front of new condo building. If you’re not familiar with this area, it’s a residential road with speed bumps near East Falls Church Metro. There is a beige color Honda Odyssey van with a heavy mid age lady come up beside me and rolled down her window.

She angrily yelled “F.. bikers”.

I was trying to figure out by myself “Did I unknowingly cut her off?”

She went on “You bikers are clogging up the roads, get off the road”

I yelled back “F u”

She slowed her car down and put the car’s front bumper close in the back of my bike, on her horn like she was ready to run me over but she didn’t. She took off and kept yelling. I was ready to jump to curve if she does. May be there’s a guy staring at her from the side walk. It could be really ugly for me if she does it.

I should have pulled out cell phone to record everything and car license, but I were on a defense mode and not thinking. I felt my commute is really short today and got my vocal work out.

As the weather is getting warm, we need to be more alert and careful.

Rick

[Tim Kelley]

This is one of my favorite responses to that kind of mentality:

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[PrintError]

Riiiiight, your 20# bicycle is clogging up the roads… more so than her 5,000# box of bricks?

I just write all of the haters off as jealous, because we’re enjoying our commute and they aren’t.

[acc]

My nursing education says do not confront unstable people unless you have plenty of back up. I am sorry this happened to you. I do not understand their mentality. I’m glad you are safe and in the end, it’s about living to ride another day.

[WillStewart]

My favorite response to someone yelling “Go ride on the bike path!!!” is “Go drive on the Beltway!”…

Others;

-“I’m truly sorry, I take it you own this road?”

– “Ignorance of the law is no excuse”

– “Bush said you are addicted to oil – what don’t you understand?”

– “Gee, that’s a nice Middle East oil burner!”

The counter intuitive approach is;

– genuine smile/wave – “Have a nice day!” – wihich really deflates their hot air balloon

[Riley Casey]

I’d love to have the text of that sign as a sticker for my bike. Might have to look into that. Thanks for the image.

[BigAgnes]

Another suggested response is: “Are you all right?” If you feel compelled to respond. The best response is no response.

This area is over crowded and it’s just getting worse. Makes people unhappy, angry, frustrated, etc. No excuse, however, for what she did to you (must have been raised by wolves….but I digress). She belongs in the pokey, away from decent people.

People like that wish that my bike was equipped with a super soaker with which I could blast the offensive, dangerous person. I’d fill it with red, permanent ink. Or a stop strip that I could launch from my bike, James Bond style, and flatten her big SUV’s tires. But that would be stooping to her level, and all of us here are too good for being vengeful.

Karma will get her, if it hasn’t already.

[PotomacCyclist]

I sometimes think about what driving in a car actually involves. In what other situation do non-felons voluntarily enclose themselves in a 2′ x 2′ space for extended periods of time, and in an area where it’s impossible to stand up? That would be considered cruel and inhuman punishment for even the most violent of offenders. And yet, millions of people do this to themselves each and every day. Most people have enough mental fortitude, character and decency where they don’t let it destroy their sense of courtesy and civilized behavior. For a minority, they seem to melt down and act like maniacs. Unfortunately, those individuals are also in control of thousands of pounds of steel, aluminum, plastic and rubber at that moment in time.

[Author]

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